Self-waiting table.



No. 732.227. 7 PATENTED JUNE 30, 1903. J. SHAFBR 8; J. MILLER. SELFWAITING TABLE.

APPLIUATIOH'I'ILBD JAE. 23. 1903.

10 MODEL.

UNITED STATES I Patented June 30, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

SELF-WAITING TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 732,227, dated June 30,1903.

I Application filed January 23, 1203. Serial No. 140,248. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOSEPH SHAFER and JOHN MILLER, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Ripley, in the county of Payne and Territoryof Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Waiting Tables; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of referencemarked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to tables, but more particularly to the class ofselfwaiting tables, and has for its object to provide a device of thisclass which may easily and quickly be converted into a perfectly flattable.

With this object in view our invention consists in the novelconstruction of the table and upper revolving sections.

Our invention also consists in the novel manner of telescoping the sameand also in certain other novel features of construction and incombination of parts, which willbe first fully described and afterwardspecifically pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectionof a table constructed in accordance with our invention, showing thesame as a self-waiting table. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on aline at right angles to that of Fig. 1, showing tablefolded.

Like numerals of reference indicate the same parts throughout the twofigures, in whichi 1 is the table, preferably circular and having thelegs 2.

3 indicates the outer circular portion of the table-top, and 4 indicatesa brace secured to legs 2, near the tops thereof. Suitably hinged tosaid brace 4 are the two semicircular central leaves or sections 5,which are provided with hinges 6, and 7 indicates aspiring-bolt securedto each of said central sections which engages a keeper 8, secured tothe outer circular portions 3. Said brace or support 4 is provided inthe center thereof with a vertical circular opening 9, through which acylindrical tube 10 passes.

Said lower support and ball-bearing are provided with a central circularopening 13, di-

rectly below the opening 9 in the upper sup:

port 4, through which the cylindrical tube 10 passes. In the upperportion 14 of said ballbearing we provide a set-screw 15, adapted toengage the cylindrical tube 10, as shown in Fig. 1. At the top of saidcylindrical tube 10 we provide a circular rest 16, rigidly secured tosaid tube, and mounted on said rest 16 is the outercircular portion 17of the first upper revolving section. It must be noticed here that saidouter circular portion17 is of a diameter exactly equal to that of thetwo central semicircular leaves 5 when in a raised position, as shown inFig. 1. The interior edge of said upper revolving section 17 is providedwith an annular rabbet 18, and within said outer circular portion 17 isa circular central section 19, which is provided with an outer annularrabbet 20, said central section 19 being about half the thickness of theouter circular section 17. Within said cylindrical tube 10 we provide asmaller cylinder 21,

which carries at the top thereof the upper or second revolving section22. We provide two collars 23 and 24 around said smaller cylinder 21,and a set-pin 25 passes through the larger cylindrical tube 10 andenters the smaller tube 21 within.

Having thus described the several parts of our invention, its operationis as follows: In Fig. 2 we show the table in a folded or fiat position,with the central drop-leaves 5 down, as shown in dotted line in Fig. 1.In order to convert the tableinto a self-waiting arrangement, the outercylindrical tube 10 is raised into the position shown in Fig. 1 or anyintermediate position. The set-screw 15 in the upper portion of theball-bearing 14 is then made to engage the outercylindrical tube 10,which holds the same in the desired position. The central semicircularleaves 5,

which are now in a dropped position, as shown in Fig. 2 and in dottedline in Fig. 1, are raised, as shown in Fig. 1, the spring-bolts 7springing into their keepers 8 and forming a perfectly flat lower table,as shown in Fig. 1. The inner cylinder 21 is then raised into positionshown in Fig. 1 by grasping the folding lift 26 in the center of thesecond revolving section 22, said lift being shown in dotted lines inFig. 2 and folded in Fig. 1. The setpin 25 is then inserted in the outercylindrical tube 10 and into the inner cylinder 21, which securely holdsthe second revolving section 22 in the desired position. The operationof raising said inner rod 21 causes the upper collar 23 thereon toengage the central circular portion 19 of the lower revolving sectionand raise the same into position shown in Fig. 1, thus forming aperfectly flat lower revolving section. It will be seen that each of thethree sections is now perfectly fiat.

In order to fold the table, as shown in Fig. 2, the set-pin 25 iswithdrawn, which allows the upper section 22 to be lowered into thelower revolving section and rest directly on the central circularsection 16 thereof. As a matter of fact, the table may be used in thisposition, if desired, having only the lower revolving section. Thecentral semicircular leaves 5 in the table proper are then lowered intoposition shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and the set-screw 15 in theballbearing is then loosened, which allows the lower revolving sectionto be lowered into the place formerly occupied by the centralsemicircular leaves 5, the rest 16 of the lower revolving sectionresting on the upper brace or support 4, thus forming a perfectly fiattable, as shown in Fig. 2.

It is obviously seen that when the table is in position shown in Fig. 1the two upper sections revolve on the ball-bearing 12. It is alsoobvious that by this construction a large area of table-surface isproduced within a comparatively small space, as well as other economicconditions and usefulness. It will be also readily understood that theelevated sections are entirely out of the way of the larger table andthat extra dishes, condiments, garnishments, and other table ornamentsmay be carried thereon without interfering wit-l1 the general use of thetable, and, further, it will be seen that when any article on theelevated section is required all that is necessary to do is to simplyrevolve that particular section to the point where the article desiredcan be easily reached.

This table can also be used by. confectioners and others for theformation of pyramids for display of goods and general usefulness.

Having described our invention, we do not wish to be confined to theexact detail as shown and described, but claim any modifications comingwithin the scope and spirit thereof.

What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In atable, the combination of a plurality of revolving sectionsnormally supported upon a central standard above the main tabletop, theportion of said main table-top below said revolving sections consistingof two centrally-hinged sections, means for telescoping said revolvingsections upon being lowered, and means forswinging said hinged sectionsout of the way of said revolving sections when lowered.

2. In a table, the combination of a revolving section normally supportedupon a central standard above the main table-top, sections of said maintable-top hinged centrally below said revolving section, and means forswinging said hinged sections out of the way of said revolving sectionwhen lowered.

3. In a table, the combination of a lower revolving section, and meansfor supporting the same, an upper revolving section adapted to betelescoped within said lower revolving section, a central section insaid lower revolving section, and means for raising the same flush withthe upper surface of said lower revolving section.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

JOSEPH SHAFER. JOHN MILLER.

Witnesses:

ED R. BRUCE, GEORGE WELCH.

